Russia in 1905 only had a few million workers to hold the country up during World War I,
Due to the insufficient number of workers in the factories and on the farms. The result was widespread shortages of food and materials
Factory workers had to endure terrible working conditions, including twelve to fourteen hour days and low wages.
Many riots and strikes for better conditions and higher wages broke out
Czar Nicholas II and this lack of attention for his people, caused the Russian Revoultion
Causes of the Russian Revolution
Economic
The economic causes of the Russian Revolution were based largely on the Czar's mis-management, compounded by World War I
Over fifteen million men joined the army, which left an insufficient number of workers in the factories and on the farms
As goods became more and more scarce, prices skyrocketed by 1917
famine threatened many of the larger cities. Czar Nicholas's failure to solve his country's economic suffering and communism's promise to do just that comprised the core of the Revolution.
The social causes of the Russian Revolution mainly stemmed from centuries of oppression towards the lower classes by the Czarist regime and Nicholas's failures in World War I.
The Political aspect of the Russian Revolution is essentially the combination or result of the Social and Economic problems created by Czar Nicholas II.
The symbolism between Boxer & the Working Class of Russia
"If Comrade Napoleon says it. It must be right" (pg.40)
Boxer is meant to stand for the Russian proletariat, the powerful but often simple-minded working class
The lower class is naturally drawn to Stalin much like how Boxer is to Snowball, because it seem that they will they will benefit the most from their new system
“I will work harder" (pg.51)
Boxer was represented to have the same mentality as the Working Class of Russia.
Hard working men of Russia were never selfish, much like boxer always working hard to help others
"I have no wish to take life, not even human life,” repeated Boxer, and his eyes were full of tears."(pg.37)
Even though the pigs stated that all humans were bad, Boxer was sad when one of the farmers got injured in a brawl
This shows the pigs really made all the decisions and that the animals did not always believe what the pigs wanted them to believe.
Before the Russian Revolution many of the Working Class men found that the Czar was the ultimate leader and was right all the time, people did not have to think for themselves. Just how Boxer followed the pigs
“That such things could happen on our farm would not have believed. It must be due to some fault in ourselves. The solution, as I see it, is to work harder” (pg.28)
Before the Russian Revolution the working classes were very naïve and believed that Russia will get out of this terrible shortage of food and money.
With this new idea of communism/animalism the working class of Russia felt as if they had to work harder to maintain this new way of life.
Boxer did the same thing by working hard and not asking questions and working hard everyday to continue this new way of life.
The History of the Russian working class
Causes of the Russian Revolution
Economic
Social
Political
The symbolism between Boxer & the Working Class of Russia
References
Russian History. Bucknell University. Retrieved December 15, 2010, from http://www.bucknell.edu/x17601.xml
Russian Revolution of 1917. Causes of the Russian Revolution. Retrieved December 15, 2010, from www.spiritus-temporis.com/russian-revolution-of-1917/causes-of-the-russian-revolution.html
The Russian Revolution - Part 1. (2010, October 27). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from www.schooltube.com/video/1418b18456e1f06884b3/The-Russian-Revolution-Part-1